Friday, November 1, 2013

TRAGEDY OF TWO YAMATJI DEATHS LEAD TO CALLS FOR EQUALITY

The
racial tensions that boiled over in the Western Australian coastal town
of Geraldton after the hit and run deaths of two 40-year-old Yamatjis
who were walking their children, has led to calls for equality and
justice before the law – for Aboriginal peoples. The father of one of
the victims, Wayne Warner has said that the driver had compassion shown
to him that would not have been shown to an Aboriginal person.“What is the difference between a black life and a white life? Are we worth less?” said Mr Warner.Hundreds protested outside the Geraldton police station, and the
young man was charged. But grieving Yamatjis have said that because the
23-year-old driver was tested positive for being above the limit for
alcohol consumption he should have been charged with dangerous driving
causing death, but he was not. He has been charged with leaving the
scene, not rendering assistance and for reckless driving. But the
charges may be upgraded.Seven children have been left without a mother, and her funeral a
Friday fortnight ago drew more than 1,000 mourners, mostly Yamatjis who
filled the church, standing room only and with the crowd overflowing all
around the church. Her friend was buried on Friday past and similarly
his funeral drew as many mourners.Rallies are calling for justice, not vigilante-like justice against
the young man who has ruined many lives including his own, but justice
that can see one day all Australians treated equally before the law. May
that be redemption said Ms Capewell, but that it has to be the case for
both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal.Geraldton’s Joyce Capewell said that there are two sets of laws. “One
is for non-Aboriginal people and the other is for Aboriginal people.
Our people are arrested at horrific rates, our people do something
allegedly wrong and they’re in the lockup, with a justice system that
appears to have made up its mind, while if you’re non-Aboriginal you
experience natural justice, we don’t get that.”“Racism is everywhere. I was an Aboriginal Visitors Scheme officer
for 20 years, I’ve worked two decades within the prison system and
alongside authorities,and I can tell you racist mindsets flourish. Our
people are at a disadvantage.We have to start standing up for the call for one justice, a fair justice for all.”Noongar rights advocate, Marianne Mackay, travelled from Perth to
Geraldton with many others to the funeral of Mr Warner’s daughter.“It was the biggest funeral I’d ever seen, so many people present, so
much grief. The church was full, people everywhere, tears everywhere,
wailing and aching sadness, the injustices of being Aboriginal were felt
by all, despite us being a proud and honourable peoples,” said Ms
Mackay.“The police wronged in not charging this young man with dangerous
driving causing death,” said the third-year University of Western
Australia law student.“His actions did lead directly to the deaths. It was not manslaughter
but he should have been charged as would have been an Aboriginal person
in the same circumstance. The racism just stinks.”Rallies calling for equality before the law were held by Aboriginal
communities State-wide last Thursday. Ms Mackay coordinated the Perth
rally, at Forrest Chase, the heart of Perth’s commercial district.“Our people turned out, not many others who should have did not, but
our people, we who came, both grieved for those lost, and for the
injustice of how non-Aboriginal peoples make us feel. We spoke of the
injustices we face before authorities and the law. But what made me
really sad was some of the faces in the passing lunchtime crowd, or who
were doing their shopping – they just didn’t care. I could see the
smirks on their faces, the disparagement, the sneers and more, it was a
real low point.”“I have been part of hundreds of rallies but I had never been to one
or organised one where I saw such distaste for us and such terrible
racism staring us back – it was bad Gerry, it was bad. There were
moments I felt it so affected that tears streamed. Is this what my
children have to face in the years that are ahead of them?”On November 7, Geraldton’s Yamatji community will host a downtown
rally – it will most certainly stir up the town, there is no doubt that
more than a thousand people will turn out. Ms Capewell said, “These two
young souls are gone from nearby their children, from their parents,
from their friends, left us all but their spirits will remain with us
and we will allow their spirits to nurture the calls for justice, for
all our people to live in this country, equal among others. As
Aboriginal peoples we just cannot continue with the way we are treated
and downtrodden.”“There is racism and only the blind and cowardly would say otherwise.”

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